388.启8:1.“羔羊揭开第七印的时候”表主审查教会的状态，因而审查那些在其属灵国度之人的生命状态，就是那些处于仁及其信的人，在此是指那些陷入唯信的人。这就是这些话的含义，这一点从本章以灵义来理解的一切细节明显看出来。因为本章直到第十六章论述的是那些在属灵国度的人或那些具有对邻之爱并因此具有聪明的人，如前所述（387节）。不过，由于如今他们将对邻之爱说成“仁”，将聪明说成“信”；而此处不是审查那些具有仁并因此具有信的人，因为这些人都是天上的居民，所以此处审查的是那些陷入唯信的人。唯信也是与仁分离之信，因为两者没有结合（参看417节）。 “揭开封印”表示审查生命的状态，或也可说，审查教会的状态，并因此审查生命（参看295，302，309，317，324节）。
388. When He opened the seventh seal. (8:1) This symbolizes an examination by the Lord of the state of the church and consequent life of people who are in His spiritual kingdom - people who are governed by charity and its accompanying faith - here people caught up in faith alone.
That this is the symbolic meaning can be seen from the particulars of this chapter, understood in its spiritual sense. For the spiritual sense in this chapter and in those that follow up to chapter sixteen deals with the inhabitants of His spiritual kingdom, who, as we said just above in no. 387, are people governed by love for the neighbor and its accompanying intelligence. But because love for the neighbor is today called charity, and intelligence is called faith, and because the examination here does not fall on people governed by charity and its accompanying faith, as these are qualities belonging to people who are in heaven, therefore the examination is one that falls on people caught up in faith alone.
Faith alone is also faith divorced from charity, because there is no conjunction of the two (see no. 417 below).
To be shown that opening a seal symbolizes an examination of the state of life, or to say the same thing, an examination of the state of the church and the consequent life, see nos. 295, 302, 309, 317, 324 above.
388. [verse 1] 'And when He opened the seventh seal' signifies examination by the Lord of the state of the Church and consequently of the state of life of those who are in His spiritual kingdom, who are in charity and the faith thereof, here those who are in faith alone. That these things are signified can be established from the details of this chapter understood in the spiritual sense. For in this chapter and in the following ones to chapter 16 it treats of those who are in the spiritual kingdom who, as was said just above (387), are those who are in love towards the neighbour and consequently in intelligence. But because at this day 'charity' is said instead of love towards the neighbour, and 'faith' instead of intelligence, and here no examination is made upon those who are in charity and the consequent faith, because these [i.e. charity and faith] belong to those who are in heaven; therefore here an examination is made upon those who are in faith alone. Faith alone is also faith separated from charity, because there is no conjunction, [as] may be seen below (417). That 'to open the seal' signifies to examine the states of life, or what is the same, the states of the Church and consequently of life, may be seen above (295, 302, 309, 317, 324).
388. Verse 1. And when He had opened the seventh seal, signifies exploration by the Lord of the state of the church, and thence of the state of life of those who are in His spiritual kingdom, being those who are in charity and its faith; in this case, who are in faith alone. That this is the signification of these words, may appear from all the particulars of this chapter when understood in the spiritual sense. For this chapter and the following to chapter 16 treat of those who are in the spiritual kingdom, or those who are in love towards the neighbor and thence in intelligence, as was said above, (387). But since, at this day, they say "charity" instead of love towards the neighbor, and "faith" instead of intelligence; and here there is not any exploration of those who are in charity and thence in faith, because these belong to such as are in heaven; therefore exploration is here made of those who are in faith alone. Faith alone is also faith separated from charity, there being no conjunction (see below, 417). That "to open the seal" signifies to explore states of life, or, what is the same thing, the states of the church and thence of life, see above, 295, 302, 309, 317, 324
388. (Vers. 1.) "Et cum aperuit sigillum septimum," significat a Domino explorationem status Ecclesiae et inde vitae illorum qui in Regno spirituali Ipsius sunt, qui sunt qui in charitate et ejus fide, hic qui in sola fide. - Quod haec significentur, constare potest ex singulis hujus capitis in Sensu spirituali intellectis; agitur enim in hoc capite et in sequentibus ad cap. 16, de illis qui in Regno Spirituali sunt, qui sunt, ut mox supra (387) dictum est, qui in amore erga proximum et inde intelligentia sunt. Sed quia hodie pro amore erga proximum dicitur "charitas," et pro intelligentia dicitur "fides," et hic non sit exploratio super illos qui in charitate et inde fide sunt, quia hi pertinent ad illos qui in Caelo sunt, quare fit hic exploratio super illos qui in sola fide sunt. Sola fides est quoque fides separata a charitate, quia non est conjunctio (videatur infra 417). Quod "aperire sigillum" significet explorare status vitae, seu quod idem est, status Ecclesiae et inde vitae, videatur supra (295, 302, 309, 317, 324).